Cleveland Browns: 5 players from Super Bowl LIII to target in free agency

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ATLANTA, GA – FEBRUARY 03: Cordarrelle Patterson #84 of the New England Patriots runs with the ball against the Los Angeles Rams in the first half of Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on February 3, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /

Cordarrelle Patterson, WR/KR

A former star at the University of Tennessee, wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson entered the NFL in 2013 as the No. 29 overall pick of the Minnesota Vikings. While he never lived up to his lofty draft status, he showed off his explosion as a big-play threat. As a rookie, he had four touchdowns as a receiver, three as a runner, and two as a punt returner.

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He ended up spending four seasons with the Vikings before hitting free agency in 2017. That’s when he joined the Oakland Raiders, who gave Patterson a two-year deal. He was largely ineffective for the Raiders and managed just two touchdowns on the season, both as a runner. He was subsequently traded to the New England Patriots and he managed five total touchdowns for them as they clearly understood how best to use the dynamic player.

Patterson had a career-high 228 yards on the ground as the Pats lined him up as a running back often. He averaged 5.4 yards in that role and still managed 21 receptions for 247 yards.

Now set for free agency, the Browns would be wise to kick the tires on Patterson. The 220-pound veteran offers some great versatility and seems like the kind of player Freddie Kitchens would love to be able to employ in a multitude of ways. He will never live up to his draft status, but that doesn’t mean he can’t find a role and do well in it.

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